Brandon Arrington Jr. has been a sheer force during his high school journey at Mount Miguel, establishing himself as a two-sport sensation who’s equally at home burning up the gridiron as he is scorching the track. With 31 receptions for 527 yards, averaging an impressive 17 yards per catch, and scoring 5 receiving touchdowns during the 2024-25 campaign, he has achieved an unbelievable record on the field. To add to that, over these last two years, he has also improved his ability to set up as an opposing corner. A two-way threat! But wait, there’s more! When he’s not burning up defenses, he’s keeping the track hot-literally. His 100m and 200m splits of 10.24 and 20.37 seconds, respectively, are so quick that track officials had to verify whether he was using a jetpack.

The world of college football is pretty much tripping over itself to grab Brandon Arrington Jr. for the 2026 class. This fellow’s recruitment is the Super Bowl of recruiting theatrics- Alabama, Oregon, USC, Texas A&M, Georgia, Penn State, and a whole list of other major programs are all throwing their hats into the ring like it’s an eBay bidding war. Brandon’s official visit itinerary is essentially a summer road trip to football royalty—Texas A&M, Penn State, Alabama, USC, and Oregon—all in a row to wow him before he whittles down his options. The kid’s got choices, and he’s playing smart.

Texas A&M may have been rolling in the lead for some time, but it’s fair to say that Arrington may have picked its favorite CFB team. “The On3 Industry’s No. 1 ranked CB Brandon Arrington Jr. states return visit to Oregon one of his best trips yet,” the On3’s Steve Wiltfong shared on X. Arrington feels that Head Coach Lanning and DC Tosh Lupoi can indeed unlock his potential in full.

In the interview, Brandon mentioned, “They have a lot of history of developing a lot of great players. Coach Tosh, Coach Lanning they’ve been around great coaches like Coach Smart and Coach Saban. I feel like I’m around them, and they show they’re capable of doing what Coach Saban and Coach Smart did.”

Brandon rolled into Eugene for the Ducks’ spring football game, and it wasn’t a random drop-by; it was like he’d discovered his football Disneyland. According to him, it was his first campus visit, and he flat-out loved it there. The atmosphere, the facilities, the culture—it all just fit. In addition, spending time with ex-Ducks sensation Christian Gonzalez and present players such as Troy Franklin provided him with a true appreciation for the family he might be able to join. Now, it’s not necessarily a secret why Oregon is Brandon Arrington’s favorite. The Ducks possess that glimmering “get you to your max potential” vibe, and Brandon is all about being polished and becoming an NFL player, so Oregon’s record and coaching staff are an enormous attraction.

Lincoln Riley and Mike Elko miss out

Lincoln Riley’s USC and Mike Elko’s Texas A&M losing out to the Oregon Ducks in the recruitment war for Brandon Arrington is a fairly intriguing tale that speaks to deeper problems beyond simply the recruiting argument. On its face, Oregon winning out on Arrington over USC and Texas A&M would be somewhat surprising, considering the high-profile status of Riley and Elko’s programs.

For one, Oregon has been establishing a solid defensive reputation under coach Dan Lanning, which probably attracted a defensive player such as Arrington. At the same time, USC, under Lincoln Riley, has had some trouble with consistency and closing out games, ending 2024 at 6-6 and taking heat for not finishing drives and not being tough on the front lines. Texas A&M, with Mike Elko, hasn’t quite lived up defensively as of late, which may have made Oregon’s program more desirable for Arrington. And Oregon’s culture and recent Pac-12 success may have resonated better with him.

It’s genuinely no surprise Oregon is Brandon Arrington’s favorite- just observe how much he comes alive discussing Eugene. The dude is like, “It was my first time on campus and I loved it there.” Which is college football speak for “I could see myself dominating in that green and yellow.” And, he’s been spotted sporting Ducks apparel and posting those questionable eyeball emojis on social media every time Oregon’s in the running, so you know they’re free-associating in his brain. Throw in Coach Dan Lanning’s “coolest coach ever” attitude and the fact that the Ducks just get better and better each year.